The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-03-31
Mr., EDrroR . On reading nv laat

Mr.. EDITOR: On reading my last
article on tobacco, ! was very much NOR.
titled 10 SEQ the condition in which / had
sent i. to you. The natural inference
from my statement would be that had
tried to impose on the Department by
putting Virginia tobacco in my sample,
but nothing was further from my inten.
ton, as I will explain; the matter refers
to different transaction:
I was instructed, and the seed sent me,
to plant an acre of Oronoke tobacco, and
send 10 pound sample of the tobacco to
Columbia, which I did in good faith. If
I had wished to impose on the Depart
ment, I would, of course, have sent the
best tobacco I had, for I had plenty q
great deal better than any I sent, but as
it was not raised on the experimental
acre of 1886, it, of course, would not
have been an honest sample. Every leaf
of my sample was raised on the expert.
mental acre, and nearly all of it was
Oronoke, from Department seed. I had
been experimenting on some new varie.
ties for several years, and sometime pre-.
vious had sent the Commissioner of Ag.
riculture some specimens by mail, and
promised to send some more when I sent
my sample, requesting him to get some
expert to look at and give his opinion as
to the merits of the varieties. I selected
some specimens of new varieties and
tried to put it up nicely in small bunches
to deposit in the Department as curiosi-
ties, but the tobacco was 90 dry I had to
tie it up with cotton strings in large
bunches. I marked one bunch, I think,
Spanish hybrid, crops 1883, 'S5, please
report. Another bunch was composed Of
several different specimens, and in this
bunch I foolishly and thoughtlessly put
In q few leaves Of Virginia tobacco which
I had out comparing. This bunch was
marked in a manner equally explicit to
distinguish it from the sample.
]. I supposed the Commissioner would
detect these specimens on opening the
box, and would recollect the sample I
had sent him by mail, and also my re-
quest-get the expert to look at them.
But on reflection, and reading Mr.. Pace's
report, i do not think he examined these
surplus specimens, that being no part of
his duties. His business was simply to
decide on.the premium, and one glance
at my box would have convinced him
that Ihld no expectations of getting any
premium. In fact, I never had any
idea Of entering for premium, and had
not even thought of premium since the
disaster Of the 14th July.
I;had two reasons for putting in the
specimens. One was ] wished to show the
Commissioner that Anderson County
could do q little better than my sample
indicated, and the other was to get the
opinion of some person on these new
varieties. Isimply put in those Virginia
leaves to see if the expert would find
them. I agree now that it was very
wrong to do it, but I did it thoughtlessly,
knowing that they we're no part. of.my
sample, and I did not think there was
the least danger Of the specimens being
taken as part of my oronoke sample, as
they were plainly marked. Mr.. Pace
gave my Oronoke sample better posi-
ton than I expected. Two Of my neigh.
bors had raised quantity Of tobacco
last year and sent it to Danville, and
only got from one to three CENTS for it,
and it was better tobacco than mine.
Some of it at least.
In conclusion allow me to say that !
do not blame the Commissioners of Agri.
culture, or Mr.. Pace, for anything they
have done. They have done nothing
but their simple duty, and it was no part
of their duties to attend to my requests.
Any man who expects to plant more
than a small patch of tobacco, should
build him barn and employ an expert
to cure III. He can make off of one
fourth acre, or less, enough good tobacco
for an ordinary family, if he can get it
set out in May, for there is nearly always
enough suitable weather from the middle
of July to the last of August to cure a
small patch of good tobacco. All that
is necessary in curing tobacco is to have
q heat of 30 degrees, and upwards, with
close attention and proper management.